The following Background of the Invention is intended to aid the reader in understanding the invention and is not admitted to be prior art.
A variety of sample collection and test devices for clinical or home uses are available and described in the literature. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,337 discloses a saliva sampling device in which a piece of filter paper is used to collect saliva from a test subject's mouth and transfer the saliva to an indicator. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,576,009 and 5,352,410 each disclose a syringe type fluid sampling device. In these devices, the collected fluid sample cannot be saved for confirmation testing at a later time after the initial result is obtained.
Many of other sample collection and test devices are inefficient in sample extraction from the collection device. Many of these devices are also very complex in their design and manufacture, and require the use of relatively expensive materials.